Emergency lighting systems are commonly used in buildings or other structures to provide a source of illumination when the main power circuitry is disrupted, therby disabling any illumination devices attached to that circuit. Virtually any building to which public access is permitted is equipped with numerous emergency lighting systems to provide a source of at least limited illumination when conventional line circuit network becomes non-functional, and therefore the standard illumination devices are inoperable.
2. Prior Art
Prior art emergency lighting systems are generally equipped with storage batteries which produce energy for incandescent lamps of 10 watts or more for a given period of time. The requirement for these emergency lighting systems, as well as the amount and duration of this illumination is mandated by various ordinances and rules. It is well-known by one possessing ordinary skill in art that incandescent lamps have a relatively low light consumption characteristic which neccessitates a relatively large size battery and therefore a high-powered battery charger. As a consequence, the entire prior art emergency lighting systems have a relatively short life period with the typical low voltage incandescent lamp employed therewith. Therefore, the prior art system requires constant monitoring to ensure that the incandescent lamps utilized therewith, as well as the emergency lighting system are still functioning.